<b>Collections Aristophil, Dec. 20:</b> SAINT-EXUPERY, ANTOINE DE. Kodachrome Film (16mm) showing Antoine de Saint-Exupery and Consuelo on a boat, 1942. JOINED: Guestbook for the Boat, signed, with a drawing of the Little Prince. 15 000 to 20 000 €

<b>Collections Aristophil, Dec. 20:</b> CANDEE, HELEN CHURCHILL. Autograph manuscript. TITANIC, 40 leaves. Original account of the most famous shipwreck, by a survivor of the ordeal. 300 000 to 400 000 €

<b>Collections Aristophil, Dec. 20:</b> DUPLEIX DE CADIGNAN, JEANBAPTISTE. Signed autograph manuscript. Thirty years of memoirs related to military services and important information on the American War of Independence.<br>40 000 to 50 000 €

Rare Book Monthly

ALA Study Says Library Use Growing

- by Michael Stillman

ALA Study says Library use growing.

By Michael Stillman

The American Library Association issued the results of a study
last week which indicates that library use is actually up over
the past four years. The results of this survey of 1,003
American adults may be somewhat counterintuitive. The
conventional wisdom is that library use is falling in this age
of internet communications. Perhaps people who lacked
connections at home were being drawn to their libraries as a
place where they, too, could tap in. However, as home internet
connections become ubiquitous, who needs to go to the library
any more? Everything you need is at your fingertips, just a
keyboard away.

Apparently, libraries are withstanding this challenge better
than many of us may have imagined. I say "apparently," as I
cannot personally vouch for the accuracy of this somewhat
counterintuitive survey. However, I certainly hope its results
are correct, as the library has long played an important role
in our communities and the education of our people. The
internet may be able to take on some of that role, but
certainly not all of it. We will be a poorer people if our
libraries can't survive the internet revolution. Here's hoping
the ALA survey is right on.

Among the results reported in this survey, it found that
two-thirds of adult Americans visited their public libraries
last year. I am astonished by that one. I never would have
believed it (and am not certain that I yet do). Seven out of
ten were either very satisfied or extremely satisfied with
their library, a 10% increase from 2002. Such a positive trend
is extremely encouraging. Eighty-five percent said that public
libraries deserve more funding, with 52% believing $41 or more
per person should be spent on them annually (versus the $25 per
person in actual support which is provided). Ninety-two percent
believe libraries will continue to be needed in the future,
despite the internet, while 96% believe libraries perform an
important role in enabling everyone to succeed.

The study found increased use of libraries since 2002 across a
variety of services. It shows an increase of 14% in borrowing
books, 13% in borrowing CDs, videos, and computer software, 7%
in consulting with librarians, and 8% in attending cultural
events. Sixty-one percent reported using a library computer in
some way, for looking through the library's catalogue,
connecting to the internet, or writing a school paper or
preparing a resume.

Speaking about the report, ALA President Michael Gorman said,
"Public libraries are essential components of vibrant and
educated communities. There are more than 16,000 public
libraries in this country. I encourage everyone to check out
his or her local library in person or online."

This is outstanding news, but librarians should not let it make
them overconfident. First, I would be concerned that library
use may not be quite as great as stated. If a polltaker calls
and asks whether you visited a library in the last year, do you
want to say "no?" Even if you didn't, you may not want to
appear ignorant. As for the public spending, everyone says they
want government to spend more on all kinds of good things, but
no one wants to pay for it. As the cost of services like
police, fire protection, schools, and roads increases, and
people get more and more upset with the size of their property
tax bills, libraries inevitably seem to get the short shrift.
People want to spend more on libraries until they are actually
asked to pay for it. Therefore, it is important for librarians
to keep working at making their libraries more relevant, more
helpful, more enjoyable places to be. They must not only
attract older patrons, but young people as well, as they will
be the ones who libraries will depend upon as we older folks
move on. It sounds like librarians are making some good
progress, but it is never time to let your guard down.

Rare Book Monthly

<b>Bloomsbury Auctions: Books and Works on Paper, including Fine Photographs. December 14, 2017</b>

<b>Bloomsbury, Dec. 14:</b> Rowling (J.K.). Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, original fine black pen and ink manuscript book by the author J.K.Rowling, with 31pp of text and illustrations. £80,000 to £120,000

<b>19th Century Shop:</b> Charles Darwin on sexuality and the transmission of hereditary characteristics: Autograph Letter Signed to Lawson Tait. Down, 17 January [1877].

<b>19th Century Shop:</b> MILTON, JOHN. <i>Paradise Lost. A Poem written in ten books.</i> London: 1667. A very rare example with the contemporary binding untouched and with a 1667 title page.

<b>19th Century Shop:</b> Hamilton secures the ratification of the Constitution: <i>The Debates and Proceedings of the Convention of the State of New-York, assembled at Poughkeespsie, on the 17th June, 1788.</i>

<b>19th Century Shop:</b> The social contract “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains”: ROUSSEAU, JEAN-JACQUES. <i>Principes du Droit Politique [Du Contract Social]</i>. Amsterdam: Michel Rey, 1762

<b>19th Century Shop:</b> “The first English textbook on geometrical land-measurement and surveying”: BENESE, RICHARD. <i>This Boke Sheweth the Maner of Measurynge All Maner of Lande…</i>